U.K. talks on EU run late into the night as leaders dig in heels

British PM David Cameron leaves at the end of the first day of the meeting in Brussels.

By

JennyGross

BRUSSELS — British Prime Minister David Cameron moved closer to finding an agreement with the European Union’s other 27 leaders to reset the U.K.’s relationship with the bloc, after working through the night to hash out differences, but there were still unresolved issues early Friday morning.

A British official said there was difficult work ahead.

“It’s hard going,” the official said, after Cameron left the EU summit after 5:30 a.m. “Some signs of progress but nothing yet agreed and still a lot to do.”

Despite differences among European leaders at the summit, including over how long Britain could restrict social-welfare benefit payments to EU migrants, most still expect a deal to be secured.

A deal would kick off vigorous campaigns both for and against EU membership for Britain, which has been ambivalent about the bloc since almost the moment it joined. If there is a deal, Cameron will launch an intense campaign to keep Britain in the EU, while euroskeptics will intensify their efforts to persuade Britons to vote to leave.

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